Improvement in grain-separators



G. R. CLIFFORD. Grain Separators.

.No. 197,251. I Patented Nov. 20,1877.

ITH ES -E-J 6m f at! UNITED STATEs PATENT OFFICE.

QASSIUS R. CLIFFORD, OF RAYSVILLE, INDIANA.

IMPROVEMENT l-N GRAIN-SEPARA'l'O RS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 197,251, dated November20, 1877 application filed A May 5, 1877.

Y To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OAssIUs R. CLIFFORD, 'ofRaysville, Henry county,State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inGrain-Seed Cleaners and Graders, of

which-thefollowing is a description, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings.

My invention consists of the construction, arrangement, and combinationof parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth in the specificationand claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a side elevation of my improvedcleaner and grader; Fig. 2, a front elevation, and Fig. 3 a rearelevation, of the same. Fig. 4 isa plan view of the bottom of themachine. Figs. 5, 6, and 7 are details.

B B B represent the frame-work of the ma chine. A is the hopper. Yrepresents the side boards of the cylinder G, having its upper rearportion cut out in curves, as shown at g by dotted lines. The uppervibrating tilting screen-frame Gr has its side t'ramescut withcorresponding curves, to fit the curves 9 of the'side boards Y, as shownin Fig. 1.

K represents the lower shoe, inside of which are the screen-frames R andN. These frames are provided with different grades of screens, thecoarsest of which is at the top of frame It. The next finest is at thebottom of the same frame. The top of frame'N has a still finer screen,and that at the bottom of frame N is the finest, while the screen on thetilting frame G is the coarsest of all.

The shoe K is supported on curved links J J, constructed as shown inFig. 5. These links are pivoted to the sides of the shoe at b b, andalso pivoted to the legs B B at ff on each side, as shown in Fig. 1, soas to allow the shoe to vibrate as follows: When the shoe K is movedbackward, then the front end is elevated and the rear end falls, andwhen the shoe is moved forward, then the front end falls and the rearend is elevated. The elevation and depression of each alternate end ofthe shoe are caused by the form and manner of attaching the links oncurved armsJ J to the sides of the shoe, and to the frame, which is anessential feature of my invention, while the movement of the shoe K isanother essential feature, and is accomplished by the peculiarconstruction and arrangement of devices which I will now describe.

On the side frames B B are attached hangers M M, which project downward,as shown in Figs. 1 and 4. These hangers support a rod, 10, on thecenter of which is an arm, 1, which is shown more fully in Fig. 7. Thisarm extends upward, and passes through a hole formed in the floor K ofthe shoe K, as Shown, or is attached to a suitable socket secured to thefloor K, in such a manner that when the arm 1 is vibrated the shoe willbe moved forward and backward. The outer end of the rod 11 is square,andis secured to the lower end of the vibrating lever F, as shown inFigs. 1 and 7. This lever extends upward, and has a long slot formed inits upper end, in which the wrist-pin D of the crank D opcrates.

When the fan that is inside of the cylinder G is revolved, the shaftwhich has the crank D on its end communicates motion to the lever F,causing it to vibrate at its upper end, thus causing the shaft 19 topartially rotate in alternate directions; and by this means the arm 4causes the shoe K to .move backward and forward, and at the same timethe links or arms J J give a tilting motion to the shoe K and riddles RN, as beforedescribed.

Below the fioor K of the shoe K there arelocated two cross-bars, B B,and as the shoe K is brought down by the links J on its forward motionit is suddenly arrested in its motion forward and downward, thus causingthe material that is to be screened to be violently forced toward thefrontlower end of the screens R andN, and thus facilitate its passagethrough the screens. The same motion and effect are produced on thescreens B and N when the shoe K is moved backward. The links J at therear of the shoe bring the bottom K in violent contact With the rearcross-beam B and give the material an impetus backward and upward, thuscausing it to readily pass through the screens. The material, whenscreened, passes out at one or the other of the spouts o 0 o 0 below thefloor of the shoe, or out at the holes 0 0 at the end of the shoe,according to the degree of firmness of the material.

The upper or tilting screen'G has a very peculiar motion given to it-t'. a, a vibrating and tilting motion combined. This motion is obtainedas follows: The link H (shown in detail in Fig. 6) is formed with anoffset, S, at one side, in which is a pivot-hole, a. The lower end ofthe link has a slot, 07, and the upper end is also provided with apivot-hole, h. There are two of these links, one on each side, and theupper ends are pivoted to the upper tilting screen G, and the lower endhas a stud, j, passed through the slot d into the side of the shoe K, asshown in Fig. 1. The central side "projectio of the links H is pivotedto the side frames B a (Shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1.) The bottoms ofthe sides of the tilting screen G are curved, as shown at 9, Fig. 1, soas to correspond with the sides Y of the machine.

By these constructions and arrangements the screen G has a vibrating andan oscillating and a tilting motion imparted to it when the shoe K ismoved. The slot d in link H prevents the downward and upward motion ofthe rear end of the shoe, caused by the links Jffrom pulling the screenGr down, while the backward and forward motion of the shoe causes thelink H to vibrate on its pivot a, and imparts a sliding movement ofscreen Gr forward and backward; and the curved bottoms of the sides ofthe screen G, as they are moved forward and backward by the links H,impart an upward forward and a downward backward motion to the screen G,thus causing the material that falls on the screen from the hopper A toreadily pass through the screen, while the chaff passes out over therear end of the screen and falls to the ground.

If the top tilting screen is not required, then the links H aredisconnected and the screen remains stationary; or it can be removed,thus allowing the material from the hopper to fall upon the top screenof frame B.

As the machine is represented in the drawings, it is designed to get sixseparations-- that is, one to each of the spouts o 0 o 0 below, and toeach of the openings 0 0 at the front of the shoe K. By removing ordisconnecting the front curved links or arms J J, there is but onejerking motion given to the shoe-that is, at the bacle-while the frontend of the shoe slides on the cross-beam B ,,with no downward motionfrom the links to produce violent agitation of the material on thescreens. By removing the front cap L of the shoe, which is accomplishedby removing the pins m from the eyebolts n n, and taking out theseparator-slides of the riddle, (not shown,) then the machine isconverted into a cleaner; and when the separator-slides are replaced andthe discharge-openin gs o 0" are opened, then the machine is a graincleaner and grader combined.

In chafling, the tilting riddle G, Fig. 1, is used; but when the machineis used as a grader, then the links H are disconnected, which leaves thetop screen G stationary, and allows the grain to pass through thetilting screen to the screens below.

What I claim as new, and wish to secure. by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination of the riddle G,provided with sides having curved andinclined lower edges, and the side boards Y of the mill formed withcorresponding edges, as set forth.

2. The slotted links H,having offsets s, and pivoted through saidoffsets to the frame, in combination with the riddle Gr, pivoted to theupper ends of the links, and with the shoe K, having pins projectinginto the slots of the links, as set forth.

3. The combination, with the shoe K and its screens, of the detachablecap L, having openings 0 0'', arranged as specified.

4. The combination of the shoe K, supported by links J J, pivoted to theframe at points inside the points of attachment to the shoe, the riddleG, and links H, pivoted each at one side to the frame, at the top to theriddle, and having slotted lower ends receiving pins on the shoe, as setforth.

5. The combination of the shoe K, crossbars extending below the same,and the links J J, pivoted at points inside the points of attachment tothe shoe, as set forth.

In testimony whereof Ihave hereunto signed my name in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

CASSIUS R. CLIFFORD. Witnesses:

E. O. FRINK,

Geo. W. GRIFFIN.

